


no place like home

by thewriterofperfectdisasters



Series: Fic A Day In May [14]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Future Fic, Ian is in the Army, M/M, Yippee, ficadayinmay, surprise return
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:01:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1677380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterofperfectdisasters/pseuds/thewriterofperfectdisasters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘So, what’d you wish for?’<br/>‘I wished for Ian to be home.’</p><p>It's Mickey's birthday, and Ian won't be there... Or at least, that's what Mickey thinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	no place like home

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from 'No Place Like Home' by Marianas Trench. I was listening to it this morning and this idea popped into my head. (You should go listen to it too.)

Ian had told exactly one person he was coming home. But it wasn’t Mickey.

Ian had told him nothing of his upcoming arrival, but it was Mickey’s birthday soon, and he and Mandy were conspiring to surprise him.

During one of their video chats a few weeks prior, Ian had broached the subject with his boyfriend. ‘So your birthday’s coming up soon, Mick.’

‘I know, Firecrotch.’ Mickey said, rolling his eyes and leaning back in his chair.

‘Got any plans?’

‘Nope. I’m gonna sit at home and get high, probably.’ Mickey sighed. ‘I get the feeling Mandy is organising something, though.’

Ian laughed. ‘Probably. Just go with it and act happy. I don’t want you to be alone on your birthday.’

‘I wish you were here.’ Mickey mumbled.

‘Yeah, me too.’ Ian said quietly. ‘I miss you a goddamn fuckload, Mick.’

‘Same here, man.’ Mickey rubbed the back of his neck. ‘When are you due to come back?’

Ian shrugged. ‘You tell me.’

‘Two months, three weeks and two days.’ Mickey said, smiling ruefully. ‘And you’ve already been gone, what, fifteen months?’

Ian nodded. ‘It’s fun, isn’t it?’

‘Fuck off, Gallagher.’

‘Never. But at least this is the last time.’

‘It is?’ Mickey asked, eyebrows shooting up. ‘This is the last time?’

‘Yeah, I’m getting discharged after this tour. Did I not tell you?’

‘Uh, no?’

‘Oh. Well. Yeah. I’m out.’

‘Thank God.’ Mickey felt like a weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. ‘Don’t go and get fucking shot now, yeah?’

‘I’ll try.’ Ian grinned. ‘I gotta go, Mick.’

‘Kay. Talk tomorrow?’ Mickey said hopefully.

‘Yeah, of course. Love you, Mick.’

‘Love you too, Gallagher.’

Ian smiled as he shut off the camera, and Mickey’s heart ached. Fucking Firecrotch, going off to join the army. Again. And leaving Mickey all fucking alone. Again. It had been so damn long since they’d seen each other, and the webcam just wasn’t cutting it anymore. The limited time Ian got was just _not_ enough to satisfy Mickey and soothe his worries that Ian was missing bits of limbs, or had bullet fragments imbedded under his skin. But Ian would be home in just under three months, and he supposed, if he’d already made it this far, that a bit longer wouldn’t be too much to ask of him. Not if it meant he got to have Ian back on a more permanent basis.

He had been hoping to get birthday sex, though, so if Ian wasn’t going to be here, he would have at least that to make up to him.

 

* * *

 

‘So you’ve got everything planned?’ Ian pressed.

Mandy just rolled her eyes. ‘ _Yes._ Of course I do. Birthday bash with the Gallaghers and various other people Mickey knows. Kev has offered to have it at the Alibi so there’s plenty of beer and stuff.’

Ian nodded. ‘Good. And you haven’t told anyone else I’m coming home?’

‘Nope.’ Mandy smiled. ‘I’ve kept it completely to myself.’

Ian narrowed his eyes. ‘Who did you tell.’

Mandy’s smile turned guilty. ‘Okay, I only told Lip so that I could get his girlfriend’s car off him. But I told him that if anyone else found out, I’d chop his balls off then pickle them for him.’

Ian laughed. ‘I hope you actually know how to pickle stuff then.’

‘I’ve Googled it, don’t worry.’ Mandy rolled her eyes. ‘Everything is sorted, though.’

‘Good.’ Ian smiled. ‘Thank you for helping me with this.’

‘No problem. Mickey has been pining like a teenage girl. It’s bordering on ridiculous.’

‘He won’t be for much longer. It’s just over a week until I’m back.’

‘Yeah, but _he_ doesn’t know that.’

‘True.’ Ian paused. ‘Have I given you my flight details?’

‘Yeah, like four times.’

‘Good, because I probably won’t talk to you again until you pick me up. Mick gets suspicious if I’m late to our video chats.’

Mandy laughed. ‘I know.’

‘Speaking of, I should talk to him now. I’ll see you soon, Mands.’

‘Yup. Bye, Ian!’

 

* * *

 

Ian was nervous as fuck.

Mickey was under strict instruction to have turned up at the Alibi at six – same time as Ian’s plane was landing. That would mean Mickey would turn up earlier than Ian, leaving him to be smothered by the Gallaghers with happiness and good wishes, and hopefully he wouldn’t get moody and leave before Ian and Mandy could arrive.

Ian just hoped everything worked out according to plan.

 

* * *

 

Mickey hadn’t intended to go to this fucking birthday thing, and had dithered around for a good few minutes before deciding Mandy would be pissed if he didn’t go, so he left his and Ian’s apartment, and went down to the Alibi. He was only a few minutes late, and he cursed himself for not being later and making it more obvious how fucking annoyed at this entire thing he was.

‘Mickey! Hey!’ Debbie cried, as soon as Mickey walked through the door. ‘Happy birthday!’ she said, flinging her arms around him.

A few moments later, Mickey was at the centre of a Gallagher sandwich, having members of Ian’s family (and Vee) coming at him from all directions. After manoeuvring himself out of the clutching arms, he found himself at the bar. He got a brief handshake from Kev, and a glass of beer, before he noticed that the Ball twins were standing there, right in front of him, grinning.

Mickey smiled at the pair. Yeah, okay, he had developed a bit of a soft spot for these two. He had sort of had to, after they had become rather attached to him and followed him around as soon as they started walking.

‘Happy birthday, Mickey mouse!’ they smiled, coming forwards and giving him a quick hug, before they wandered off to wreak havoc somewhere.

Mickey walked around, accepting “Happy birthday” greetings from everyone, and mumbling a bit of conversation with each person looking around for Mandy.

‘Ay, Lip!’ Mickey called, walking over to where he was standing with his (surprisingly long term) girlfriend, Amanda. ‘You seen Mandy?’

‘She just got here.’ Lip nodded and pointed over to where Mandy was working her way towards them.

‘Hey, Mick!’ Mandy smiled, pulling her brother into a hug. ‘Happy birthday!’

‘Oh, fuck off.’ Mickey grumbled, drinking his beer over her shoulder. ‘What took you so long?’

‘Got stuck late at work.’ she shrugged. ‘Cake?’

There was a loud squeal from the twins (where the fuck did they pop up from?) at Mandy’s suggestion. ‘Cake!’

And then there was Kev, walking towards Mickey, holding this fucking massive slab of cake, mismatched candles sticking up out of the white icing, blue piping along the top reading “ _Happy birthday asshole!”_ , which Mickey thought must’ve been Mandy’s doing.

The entire fucking bar burst into song. ‘Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Mickey, happy birthday to you!’

Mickey rolled his eyes and was about to blow out the candles when the twins stopped him. ‘Make a wish! You have to make a wish, Mickey.’

‘Yeah, alright.’ Mickey said. He shut his eyes, made the same wish he’d been making for months, and blew out the candles.

Everyone erupted into cheers and clapping, with a few whistles chucked in for good measure. People quietened down when the twins asked, ‘What did you wish for?’

Mickey sighed. ‘I don’t believe in that shit, but isn’t it a thing that when you wish for something, it won’t happen if you say it out loud?’

The twins shrugged. ‘If you don’t believe it, then you can say it, can’t you?’

Mickey raised his eyebrows at their logic. ‘Yeah, I suppose.’

‘So, what’d you wish for?’ they pressed.

‘I wished for Ian to be home.’ Mickey said.

A few people ‘awww’ed at that, and then a familiar voice said, ‘Then it’s a good thing wishes come true sometimes.’

Mickey’s head snapped to the door of the bar with an audible crack. People stood aside, and there, in all his redheaded glory, was Ian.

‘Hey, Mick.’ Ian smiled.

Mickey bit his lip before deciding. _Fuck it._ He ran forward, straight into Ian’s waiting arms as a second wave of cheering started. ‘You fucking _asshole_.’ Mickey said between kisses. ‘You didn’t tell me you were coming home!’

‘Wouldn’t have been a surprise if I did.’ Ian murmured, pressing his face into Mickey’s neck, and breathing in his scent of smoke, cheap detergent, and alcohol. ‘Fuck, I missed you so fucking much.’

‘You have no fucking idea, Gallagher.’ Mickey said, pressing their foreheads together. ‘You’re here. Jesus.’

Ian laughed. ‘I’m here. No place like home.’

The Gallaghers, apparently also shocked by the sudden appearance of Ian, finally broke into movement. Fiona put an arm around Ian, pulling him away from Mickey, and towards her. Debbie then piled herself onto Ian and Fiona, and Sheila joined the party too, sobbing all over everyone around her. When they released Ian, Carl gave him a one armed hug, Liam gave him a little hug before running off to play with the twins, and Lip also pulled him in for a quick embrace.

When the Gallaghers were done, Mickey reclaimed him by lacing their fingers together, unwilling to let Ian go for too long, lest he disappear again. ‘You’re here.’ Mickey said again.

‘Yeah, I know.’ Ian grinned.

When people started bringing presents forward for Mickey, he was forced to let Ian go so he could unwrap them.

Multiple pairs of socks and boxers were given to him (why that was people’s default gift, Mickey would never understand), along with a few packs of cigarettes and spliffs. Mickey was more excited about the weed than the socks, if he was being completely honest.

‘Oh, shit.’ Ian murmured. ‘Be right back. I left your present in the car.’

Mickey rolled his eyes. ‘Didn’t have to get me anything.’

‘Fuck off.’ Ian said, catching the keys Mandy tossed him.

This was something else they had conspired in, with Mandy arranging to get the present Ian asked of her. Ian went to the car parked just outside the Alibi, grabbed the gift from inside the glove box, and went back inside.

‘Hey, Mick?’ Ian asked, tapping him on the shoulder.

‘Yeah?’ Mickey said, turning around from where he had been getting another beer from Kev. He put the glass down and looked to Ian.

Ian smiled and handed him a little black box. ‘Happy birthday.’

The bar went silent and Mickey’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as he opened the box. ‘No fuckin’ way.’ he breathed. His gaze flicked between the box and Ian, who was now kneeling.

‘What do you say?’ Ian asked, smile turning into a grin. ‘I figured, seeing as I’m not about to die any time soon... Mick, I love you and I need you more than oxygen. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and nothing would make me happier than marrying you.’

Mickey slowly schooled his features into cool nonchalance. ‘You gonna put it on me or do I gotta do it myself?’

‘That a yes?’

‘Get the fuck up here, Firecrotch.’ Mickey said, pulling Ian up to kiss him again. ‘Course it’s a fucking yes.’

Looked like Mickey was getting that birthday sex after all.


End file.
